Engine Bells - New fun with my Taig Lathe

Tankmodeler · Post by **Tankmodeler** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:56 pm

Got a woodworking tool rest for my Taig the other day and finally got some lathe chisels to use with it. Making the curved shape of an engine bell with the normal machine tool controls of the Taig would heve been, frankly, impossible for me.

With the chisels? About 20 minutes. Including hollowing it out and sanding it smooth.

Here are links to a few photos of the result.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q308 ... zle-01.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q308 ... zle-03.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q308 ... zle-04.jpg

I haven't touched a wood lathe in 20+ years bit this was pretty simple. I'm kinda stoked about the possibilities. I'm still new at this, though. The cool pattern just visible near the root of the bell look absolutely amazing, but was an accident caused by chatter of the tool and some vibration in the lathe.

The raw material is a plug of polyurethane resin I poured up for this purpose.

Pretty cool, eh?

Paul

Joseph C. Brown · Post by **Joseph C. Brown** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:54 pm

Very, very cool!

And I do understand: I've got a very cheap Harbor Freight wood lathe that I have done some minor work with... but I scored some awesome lathe chisels at a thrift shop and the quality of my output went way up!

Mr. Badwrench · Post by **Mr. Badwrench** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 9:50 pm

Very nice start! Add a few details with strip stock and cast many copies. About how big is this?

Tankmodeler · Post by **Tankmodeler** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:02 am

The bell is about 1" across the base & about 1 1/4" long.

I'm going to cast up a few as is as I kinda like the celan, "Merlin" look to them.

I'll make others with the reinforcing ribs & such. I'm not trying to make anything specific at the moment, just palying with parts for a fun SF scratchbuild I'm into.

I might just talk to Blappy, though, if there was interest in a line of these bells for other people's projects...

Paul

Blappy · Post by **Blappy** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:13 am

Rubber is standing by!

Treadhead · Post by **Treadhead** » Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:20 pm

Tankmodeler wrote:The bell is about 1" across the base & about 1 1/4" long.

I'm going to cast up a few as is as I kinda like the celan, "Merlin" look to them.

I'll make others with the reinforcing ribs & such. I'm not trying to make anything specific at the moment, just palying with parts for a fun SF scratchbuild I'm into.

I might just talk to Blappy, though, if there was interest in a line of these bells for other people's projects...

Paul

I'm rubbing me hands together in anticipation, because a thruster nozzle about the size you just made is just what I need...

MedixWerkeShoppe · Post by **MedixWerkeShoppe** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:30 am

Excellent Work Paul. I start my military career as an Air Force machinist 30 years ago and that's just great work!

Mike

TazMan2000 · Post by **TazMan2000** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:21 am

Nice job. What material are you using?

TazMan2000

Tankmodeler · Post by **Tankmodeler** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:25 am

A cast cylinder of polyurethane resin. Smooth-on 300, I think.

I have a bunch of old medicine containers and I pour resin in them. I have them in a number of sizes so I have a number of resin plugs to use as feedstock for projects.

I haven't done anything with this since my last post as I've been busy with other projects.

Paul